Author Archive

Chol HaMoed Sukkot October 15, 2022 | 20 Tishrei 5783 Torah: Exodus 33:12-34:26; Numbers 29:26-31 Haftarah: Ezekiel 38:13-39:16 Swaddled by God Ilana Kurshan On the festival of Sukkot, we are commanded to dwell in temporary huts so as to remember, as God explains, “that I made the Israelite people live in Sukkot when I brought [...]

Parashat Haazinu October 8, 2022 | 13 Tishrei 5783 Torah: Deuteronomy 32:1-52; Triennial 32:1-52 Haftarah: II Samuel 22:1-51 Bright Wings Ilana Kurshan Parashat Haazinu consists of the poetic song that Moshe sings to the people of Israel before he delivers his deathbed blessing. The song is rich with images that describe God’s relationship with the [...]

Parashat Nitzavim September 24, 2022 | 28 Elul 5782 Torah: Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20; Triennial 29:9-30:20 Haftarah: Isaiah 63:1-9 Beyond the Sea Ilana Kurshan Parashat Nitzavim, which we read just before Rosh Hashanah, speaks of the importance of repenting and returning to God after we have sinned. Immediately after the description of returning to God, Moshe tells [...]

Parashat Ki Tavo September 17, 2022 | 21 Elul 5782 Torah: Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8; Triennial 27:11-29:8 Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1-22 Secret Sins Ilana Kurshan In this week’s parashah Moshe charges the people to renew the terms of their covenant with God once they cross the Jordan and enter the promised land. This renewal will take the form [...]

Parashat Ki Tetze September 10, 2022 | 14 Elul 5782 Torah: Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19; Triennial 24:14-25:19 Haftarah: Isaiah 54:1-10 Parents on the Same Page Ilana Kurshan I’m sure my children are not alone in their exasperating tendency to make the same request of each of their parents in the hope of eliciting different responses. “Ima, can [...]

Parashat Shoftim September 3, 2022 | 7 Elul 5782 Torah: Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9; Triennial 19:14-21:9 Haftarah: Isaiah 51:12-23, 51:22 No Going Back Ilana Kurshan This week’s parashah deals with the administration of justice in the land of Israel, including the laws governing the appointment of a king to rule over the Jewish people. The Torah teaches [...]

Parashat Re’eh August 27, 2022 | 1 Elul 5782 Torah: Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17; Triennial 15:1-16:17 Haftarah: Isaiah 66:1-24 The Long and Short of It Ilana Kurshan I began reading through a collection of midrashim to prepare for the writing of this Dvar Torah while in my son’s room at bedtime last night. He has a hard [...]

Parashat Eikev August 20, 2022 | 23 Av 5782 Torah: Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25; Triennial 10:12-11:25 Haftarah: Isaiah 49:14-51:3 A Conduit of Blessing Ilana Kurshan In this week’s parashah Moshe prepares the people for their entry into Israel, extolling the virtues of the land they are about to conquer successfully: “For the Lord your God is bringing [...]

Parashat Vaetchanan August 13, 2022 | 16 Av 5782 Torah: Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11; Triennial 5:1-7:11 Haftarah: Isaiah 40:1-26 Moshe the Mother Ilana Kurshan In this week’s parashah we bear witness to the pathos of Moshe’s plea with God to allow him to enter the land of Israel. Moshe, in speaking to the people of Israel at [...]

Parashat Devarim August 6, 2022 | 9 Av 5782 Torah: Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22; Triennial 2:31-3:22 Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27 Moshe’s Memoir Ilana Kurshan The Book of Deuteronomy, which we begin reading this week, presents an interesting paradox to the literary reader of the Bible. It is written in a different style than the earlier biblical books – [...]

Parashat Matot-Masei July 30, 2022 | 2 Av 5782 Torah: Numbers 30:2-36:13; Triennial 33:50-36:13 Haftarah: I Kings 9:2-9, 9:4-5a Matot: Marriage (and) Vows Ilana Kurshan Our parashah begins with the laws governing oaths and vows. The Torah teaches that both men and women may make vows, but whereas a man’s vows remain binding, a woman’s [...]

Parashat Pinchas July 23, 2022 | 24 Tammuz 5782 Torah: Torah Portion: Numbers 25:10-30:1; Triennial 28:16-30:1 Haftarah: Jeremiah 1:1-2:3 Moshe’s Forced Retirement Ilana Kurshan At the end of the Israelites’ journey in the wilderness, Moshe’s job is terminated prematurely. He is not ready to die, and he wishes that he could accompany the Israelites in [...]

Parashat Balak 16 July 2022 / 17 Tamuz 5782 Torah: Numbers 22:2-25:9; Triennial 22:39-25:9 Haftarah: Micah 5:6-6:8 The Unwanted Gaze Ilana Kurshan In this week’s parashah, the Moabite king Balak hires Bilaam, a famous sorcerer, to curse the Israelites encamped on the steppes of his land. Bilaam, who is able to speak only those words [...]